Type 1- and type 2-like lesional skin-derived Mycobacterium leprae-responsive T cell clones are characterized by coexpression of IFN-gamma/TNF-alpha and IL-4/IL-5/IL-13, respectively

J Immunol. 1998 Mar 1;160(5):2380-7.

Abstract

In an earlier study, we generated a large number of Mycobacterium leprae-responsive and M. leprae-nonresponsive T cell clones (TCC) from the lesional skin of immunologic unstable borderline leprosy patients. In that study, we divided TCC into type 1- and type 2-like on the basis of their IFN-gamma and IL-4 expression. To explore whether other cytokines are coproduced along with IFN-gamma and IL-4, we investigated the secretion of a panel of other cytokines (TNF-alpha, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, and IL-13) by a large number of these TCC. Upon analysis of 139 M. leprae-responsive TCC, we observed a positive correlation in the coproduction of IFN-gamma/TNF-alpha (r = 0.81), and in that of IL-4/IL-5 (r = 0.83), IL-4/IL-13 (r = 0.80), and IL-5/IL-13 (r = 0.82). Polarized type 1-like TCC produced dominantly IFN-gamma/TNF-alpha, and polarized type 2-like TCC predominantly IL-4/IL-5/IL-13. Most type 0-like TCC produced both sets of cytokines. In contrast, type 1- and type 2-like subsets of M. leprae-nonresponsive TCC (n = 58) did not show the same coexpression of these cytokines. Furthermore, when the differential expression of a broad panel of cytokines by individual M. leprae-responsive TCC is considered, it appeared that additional phenotypes could be recognized. These results suggested that distinct isotypes of type 1- and type 2-like T cells, based on the secretion of a panel of cytokines, may reflect M. leprae-specific characteristics.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Clone Cells
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / statistics & numerical data
  • Humans
  • Immunophenotyping
  • Interferon-gamma / biosynthesis*
  • Interleukin-13 / biosynthesis
  • Interleukin-13 / metabolism
  • Interleukin-4 / biosynthesis
  • Interleukin-4 / metabolism
  • Interleukin-5 / biosynthesis
  • Interleukin-5 / metabolism
  • Interleukins / biosynthesis*
  • Interleukins / metabolism
  • Leprosy / immunology*
  • Leprosy / pathology
  • Mycobacterium leprae / immunology*
  • Skin / immunology*
  • Skin / microbiology
  • Skin / pathology
  • Statistics, Nonparametric
  • Th1 Cells / immunology*
  • Th1 Cells / metabolism
  • Th1 Cells / microbiology
  • Th2 Cells / immunology*
  • Th2 Cells / metabolism
  • Th2 Cells / microbiology
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / biosynthesis*

Substances

  • Interleukin-13
  • Interleukin-5
  • Interleukins
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Interleukin-4
  • Interferon-gamma